Louisiana Officials Arrest Man After Shocking Allegations of Burning a Church
Louisiana officials with the Office of the State Fire Marshal arrested a man after they say he set fire to a church.
What Did Officials Learn About The Situation?
Officials with the State Fire Marshal's Office began their investigation on Sunday afternoon, March 30, after firefighters reported to St. Mary's Number 2 Missionary Baptist Church to put out a fire.
At around 2 o'clock that afternoon, heavy smoke was emitting from the church, and a fire could be seen coming from the building.
Officials say firefighters only took a few minutes to put out the blaze, and the investigation has started.
What Is Known About The Church?
The pastor of the church, John Sewell, says he found two bricks that had been thrown through the church's windows, according to his statement to KTAV/KARD.
Sewell says it's not a good idea to go against God. He says their church has been in existence for 140 years.
Pastor Sewell says he plans to still hold church every Sunday, despite what happened, and he says everyone is welcome. Sewell adds he will rebuild, and they will take help from anyone who wants to help.
There is a significant hole in the roof where the fire burned through, and multiple windows of the church are boarded up.
Who Was Arrested?
As officials looked back at surveillance footage of the church, they saw a suspect go to the church and pour a flammable liquid on it.
After pouring liquid on the church, the suspect set it ablaze.
Officials released security footage of the suspect.
Officials booked 49-year-old Nicky Lavelle Coleman into a jail on one count of Simple Arson of a Religious Building.
If convicted, Coleman would face a minimum sentence of two years behind bars.
It was back in 2019 that an arsonist burned three African-American Baptist churches in St. Landry Parish, 23-year-old Holden James Matthews.
He pled guilty to burning down the following churches:
- St. Mary Missionary Baptist Church in Port Barre
- Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas
- Mount Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church in Opelousas
READ MORE: 3 ST. LANDRY PARISHES BURNED
Several agencies teamed up to conduct the investigation into the fire at St. Mary's Number 2 Missionary Baptist Church on March 30, 2025 :
- Office of the State Marshal
- Monroe Fire Department
- Monroe Police Department
- Concordia Parish Sheriff's Office
State Fire Marshal Chief Ed Branch says the investigation is ongoing.
What Should You Do If You Suspect Arson?
If you think a fire has been intentionally set, you should call the State Fire Marshal's Arson Hotline at 1-844-954-1221, or you can give information to officials by visiting the State Fire Marshal's website, lasfm.org.
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